卤键:阴离子识别的新宠——从有机相到水相的飞跃

Halogen bonding: the new favorite in anion recognition——the leap from organic to waterphase

卤键是指共价键合的卤原子的亲电区域与分子亲核区域的吸引相互作用。近年来卤键的发展用飞速来形容一点也不为过,但是卤键在溶液中尤其是水相中的应用却凤毛麟角,卤键究竟能否像氢键一样应用于水溶液中呢?这也成为卤键发展过程中的一个至关重要的问题。设计高选择性与亲合性的受体分子在水溶液中进行阴离子识别是一个挑战性的问题。该文基于最近Paul Beer课题组在Nature Chemistry发表的文章,对卤键在水溶液中的阴离子识别过程进行了详细评述。

The halogen bond refers to a net attractive interaction between an electrophilic region associated with a halogen atom in a molecular entity and a nucleophilic region in another or the same molecular entity. In recent years,the halogen bond has undergone a dramatic development. However, the application of XB in solution especially in water is so limited. Then whether XB, like hydrogen bond, can use in the water or not？ It concerns the further development of XB. More important, the design of receptors with strong and selective recognition of anions in water remains a significant challenge. Based on the paper in Nature Chemistry by Beer＇s group, the application of XB in molecular recognition in solution especially in water is reviewed.